Top 20 Contemporary Watercolor Artists

Watercolor is a medium often overlooked in the contemporary art world—or so it seems from the outside. Bound to paper, it tends to disappear under the broad umbrella term of “works on paper”—a label that flattens material specificity and diminishes its presence. At times, it seems as though watercolor no longer holds a visible or acknowledged place in today’s contemporary art landscape. A simple online search for “contemporary watercolor artists” into any significant search engine reinforces this impression, as it results in a striking absence of coverage by major art platforms or publications on contemporary artists working with watercolor and only provides a number of articles within the fine arts space. This article aims to address that gap, illustrating that watercolor does have a notable presence in the contemporary art world. Presented here are twenty artists for whom watercolor plays a significant, and in many cases essential, role in their practice. Their work makes clear that the medium is not only still in use, but is actively contributing to the development of contemporary visual language—quietly, precisely, and with lasting effect. Please note that the list below is not a ranking, as all artists are listed alphabetically.